The new protocol advocates five injections each comprising 0.2ml of animal rabies vaccine to be injected intradermally in the middle of the neck and an injection of equine rabies immunoglobulin into the wound(s) only as was approved last month by the WHO in humans.

The idea to evolve a new line of treatment came after the researchers observed that seven of 21 bovines bitten by rabid dogs, who were given intramuscular vaccination, died due to rabies in the Shimla municipality two years ago.

According to the researchers, 150 cattle were tested with this new protocol after they were bitten by the suspected or lab confirmed rabid dogs or mongoose.

On day 14, the samples were found to be proactive as per the WHO norms.

Apart from this post exposure prophylaxis, the researchers also developed a new pre-exposure prophylaxis protocol of injecting 0.2ml rabies vaccine to the cattle on the day first, third and seventh with a booster dose of 0.2ml after one year.

The study also suggests to the animal owners to vaccinate the calves when they are four months old and then annually to prevent them from contracting rabies.